In Sickness and In Health
by 5ctBauble
Summary: Whether you are up for it or not, time keeps turning, life goes on, people keep living. What will happen when Edward awakes to realize that all of this has occurred and he has missed it all? And has Bella paused her life or moved on? AU, OOC, M
1. Chapter 1: A New Dawn

**So I am crazy and got another idea for a fic when i had barely even gotten into Within Arms Reach...**

**But this will be a short fic. No more then 15 chapters. Not too angsty. I would call it a light read thats heavy on the tissue meter?**

**Chapters shouldn't be any longer then 2K each so things will move fast in this fic.**

**Its a side piece for when I want a change from the WAR characters.**

**Love Love Love to my beta Krystle! Thank you so much for all your skills and expert eyes. I knew I created an evil FF spawn for a reason!**

**SM owns everything Twilight. I own a crazy mind for starting a new fic!**

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**1. A New Dawn**

**EPOV**

"Just go man," Emmett was urging me forward in the lunch room.

"No Em, I cant, no…" but I was then thrust into the side of the table of a beautiful brown eyed girl.

"Hi, I'm um Edward." I tried to sound confident but this gorgeous angel intimidated me so much.

"Bye Edward." She replied simply, devoid of any emotion, before looking back down to her book and ignoring me.

"Right…" I turned to walk away feeling defeated. I looked up to see Em and Jazz standing by the exit, doubled over in laughter.

I pushed through the doors of the school cafeteria and did the pussy thing of running away from my humiliation.

The rain was dripping down onto my face in the darkness of the night. I had walked back with a fresh cup of beer and stood staring out into the sea of teenagers trying to look for our group. There was a rustle over my shoulder before I was tackled from behind causing my beer to spill out of my hand and onto the grass.

"Hi baby." Bella crooned into my ear as she hugged me from behind. I spun around so that we were now face to face and placed a swift kiss on her lips.

"Jesus babe, you scared the shit out of me and you made me drop my beer."

"I'm sorry," she said before planting her lips back onto mine.

"Hmmm…apology accepted," I relented as I took her bottom lip into my mouth and gave it a nibble. "Happy New Year, Bella."

Fireworks sounded in the night sky but we were too lost in each other to even hear any of it.

By the time our lips pulled back from one another the sound around us returned. There were cheers and clicks from the camera as the party continued to flow around us as I twirled Bella around the dance floor during the final chorus of Lifehouse's 'You and Me'. I bent down to her ear, hugging her closer as I whispered to her, "Having a good time Mrs. Cullen?"

Bella snickered at me and shook her head "It's going to take a while to get used to that."

"We have forever to get used to that, love." I bent down to give her another kiss as the photographer's camera flashed blindingly bright in our eyes.

I heard the ringing of alarms going off in my ear. Alarms of emergency vehicles. I tried to cough to clear my throat but something was constricting my chest. It was a steering wheel. I opened my eyes but had to blink out the blood and then was confused by the vision in front of me. There were red and blue lights flashing and getting closer and closer to me. I looked to my right to see Bella slumped over in her seat, her head resting on a deflating airbag. There didn't seem to be any blood on her. I tried to reach for her to shake her awake but the minimal movement sent shockwaves of pain through my body and I was overcome with the intensity that I blacked out again.

I could hear only a soft, consistent beep. It wasn't harsh to my ears but the repetitive sound was beginning to irk me.

I felt someone lift up my left arm and wrap something around my bicep. I began to feel some pressure there and just when it was about to become too much, the pressure deflated.

I could hear a voice as well. It sounded elderly. It was a woman, humming gently as she continued to manhandle my arm at her will.

I wanted to tell her to stop it and that I wasn't a rag doll but I needed to see her first to tell her.

I began to lift my eyelids, feeling all the sleep that had crusted on them making it difficult to pry them apart. But when I got them open I immediately slammed them shut again due to the bright fluorescents shining down on me.

The peaceful humming stopped and was immediately replaced by a loud gasp.

"Mr. Cullen." The elderly woman stated.

I tried to open my eyes again becoming more successful this time as the crust of sleep had already been pried loose.

I opened my mouth to say something but no sound came out. I was suddenly aware of how dry my throat was.

"Mr. Cullen don't try to speak. I'll just page the doctor for you." The elderly lady said soothingly.

Doctor? Why was she getting a doctor? Where was I?

I tried to sit up but the lady pushed me back down by the shoulders.

"Now, just be patient young man. Don't strain yourself. The doctor is on his way."

I didn't want to wait for a doctor. I wanted to know where Bella was. The last time I saw her she was unconscious in my car.

I tried to push up against the lady as I tried to get away. She pushed me back down with more force but I pushed back also using my arms to try and pry her off of me. I had to get out of the bed. I had to go find Bella.

"Mr. Cullen. Calm down!" the lady began to yell at me, "Somebody help me in here!"

I must have been winning the fight if she was calling for back up. I was aware of numerous bodies running into the room as more hands pinned me down to the bed to stop my maniacal thrashing. I felt a sting in my arm and then a cool flow of liquid in my veins travelling up my arm.

My limbs grew heavy and fell to the bed. My eyelids drooped having lost their will to stay open and I drifted back down into the blackness.

**BPOV**

"Jake, we are not having this conversation again." I yelled from the stove as I stirred the sauce.

"Come on Bells. They gave you a job you could never refuse and I'll get the chance to own a shop that's going to do so much better then what we have in Forks now." Jake whined at me.

We had had this conversation numerous times over the past month and I was growing tired of fighting with him.

"You know why I can't go Jake. There's Charlie and just everything else. So no - okay! I just can't go."

"Bella, you know Charlie can handle himself and you can't just stay in Forks for the rest of your life." Jake was relentless. He wanted to get out of the small town and he wanted me to go with him. But I just couldn't bring myself to leave.

The phone rang harshly but neither of us made a move to answer it, preferring to continue our scream fest.

"Just think about it seriously Bells," he begged me.

I was tired and not in the mood for this fight. I slammed the spoon onto the counter before turning to face Jake and give him a real piece of my mind.

"Jake for the last time I'M. NOT. LEAVING."

Knowing that I had reached my limit and that he couldn't speak to me reasonably anymore, he turned to leave the kitchen to head back to the TV mumbling on his way out, "He's never going to wake up."

The phone continued to ring obnoxiously and I stalked over ripping the handle up off the base harshly.

"What?" I rudely asked through the phone.

"Good evening, I was calling for a Bella Cullen." The lady sounded elderly and very sweet.

I felt embarrassed by the way I had greeted her and took a breath to regain myself before I answered in a more composed voice.

"Yes, this is she."

"Mrs. Cullen, my name is Sue Clearwater and I'm calling from the Olympic Medical Centre."

"Is everything alright?" I began to panic at once. Calls from hospitals were never a good thing.

"Mrs. Cullen," she continued very delicately as if the information could make me break, "Mr. Cullen woke up about an hour ago."

I dropped the handset and watched as it slipped out of my hand in slow motion, plummeting to the ground with an almighty crash. Jake came rushing in to see what the commotion was about to find me standing pale as a ghost, frozen in place.

"Bells, what's wrong? Who's on the phone?"

I couldn't coordinate my brain with the rest of my body and continued to stand there in state of shock.

Jake picked up the handset and began to communicate with the lady on the other end.

I started to regain some brain activity just as Jake was finishing his conversation.

"Visiting hours are done by 8:30pm. I understand. We're heading out now." And with that he hung up.

"Bella, talk to me," Jake shook me trying to break me out of my daze.

"Hey kids. Smells good in here." Charlie's voice boomed out as he walked into the kitchen, but he froze at the sight of a panicked Jake and a ghost-like me.

"What's going on here?" he demanded.

"Charlie we need you to hold fort here. I'm taking Bella to Port Angeles." Jake stated as he began to urgently drag my body out towards the front of the house.

"Yeah I can hold fort but what's going on? Bells?"

I turned to Charlie just as Jake got me through the front door and whispered out in a disbelieving voice.

"Edward woke up."

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	2. Chapter 2: Eyes of an Angel

**So I was a fail at updating my other fic, Within Arms Reach, but I can assure you, and my WAR betas, that its a coming...soon?**

**In the mean time my wonderful beta has found spare time during the craziness of the Remember Me and Eclipse trailer week (yeah I know you all replay that trailer 6 times a day like a me!) and she also has chapter 3 almost ready!**

**Isn't she awesome? I definitely think so! Love to my evil spawn xoxox**

**SM owns all things Twilight. I own a viewing addiction of the Eclipse trailer and Sneak Peek Spoiler vid.**

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**2. Eyes of an Angel**

**EPOV**

It was strange being drugged to sleep. I was fully conscious in my own mind and felt trapped in my body. But the consciousness was dotted with moments of incoherency.

Strange memories would flash through my mind but not in any particular order and sometimes not making any sense at all.

There was one when I must have been about five. I was sitting under the Christmas tree crying my eyes out while Emmett was getting a stern talking to just feet away from me by my father. I held a Transformer which had been snapped in half, the shattered pieces lying on the floor around me. Peeking into this memory made me feel felt like an intruder looking in on what was obviously not a very merry Christmas morning in the Cullen household.

I would then see memories of prom. Bella and I were dancing under the giant disco ball in the horrendously decorated school gymnasium. How much of the Olympic Forest had been cut down so we could have streamer-filled prom? Bella and I just stared into one another's eyes as we swayed back and forth in each other's arms.

Then I saw myself as a child again. About eleven this time. I was on the ground straddling a boy as I repeatedly sent punches into his sides and his face. That was when I tackled Mike Newton after he kicked the ball and it smacked Alice on the side of her head.

Then there were times where there were no images but I could hear the voices. There was my mom's voice. She was talking about nonsense, chatting about the other ladies in her craft class from Wednesday night and how they gossiped too much. Her voice was soothing and familiar.

I also heard Bella's voice from time to time. She would always be reading to me. Either Robert Frost or some new romantic novel she had just picked up. There was even times when she would read old fairytales aloud. Such as Cinderella - that was always her favorite as a child.

Right now I could hear my father's voice. He was in doctor mode, not dad mode at that moment.

"Everything seems to be fine. It's not unusual for the patients to become a bit hysterical when they wake up."

I didn't know who he was talking to but I needed to wake up so that I could ask him about Bella.

I tried to pry my eyes open but I was just so tired. Just the effort it took to try and open them drained me and I fell back into my darkness once again.

I was once again assaulted by bright lights, the blare of a car horn, the screech of tires and the sound of metal crunching. I didn't want to see these things again. I fought against it in my own mind trying to wake up so I could leave behind the images.

I could feel myself physically thrashing again trying to rid my mind of the horrific scenes.

The scenes began to blur and dissolve away as a melodic voice soothed me.

"Shh…it's okay Edward. It's just a dream. Wake up sweetie," Bella cooed at me.

I could feel her fingers running through my hair as the others drifted along my cheek calming me.

I began to calm and used all the energy I could muster to blink open my eyes so that I could see my angel once again.

The light was still bright but the proximity of her face cast a shadow across my eyes allowing me to look openly into her chocolate brown eyes - eyes that I had missed so, so much.

"Hi," I managed to rasp out.

She grinned a million-watt smile and through her tears as she whispered back to me, "Hi."

I wanted to lift my hands to wipe away her tears but I couldn't find the strength to do such a simple task.

She placed a kiss on my forehead and caressed my face with her hands, as we just stared deep into each other's eyes. We didn't need to say anything in that moment. Her presence was more comforting than any words she could say to me.

We stayed like that for what seemed to be only a moment as I lost the battle against my aching body and drifted off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

BPOV

Jake took my truck and we made it to the Olympic Medical Centre in half the time it would have normally taken to drive there. Jake dropped me off at the doors of the hospital telling me he would come find me after he parked the car.

Visiting hours hadn't come to an end yet so the hospital was still quite busy. I rushed up the elevator heading to the floor and room I had grown to know too well.

I went barreling down the hall when a nurse stopped me.

"Bella," Tanya stopped me. "Calm down, okay? He's still asleep. We had to sedate him."

"Sedate him?" I screamed out.

Tanya continued, "Yes. He woke up and he was panicking and trying to get out of bed. We think he was trying to look for you. He must think that the crash just happened."

"What?" I was confused. He didn't realize what had happened to himself.

"Can I still go see him?" I asked hesitantly.

Tanya gave me a sad smile and ushered me into his room.

But the Edward I saw now was no different to the Edward I had been looking at lately.

He was sound asleep, flat on his back breathing evenly.

I went to take my designated seat by his bed and picked up his hand, wishing that he would squeeze mine back to let me know that he was still here with us.

Jake came in a few minutes later and after seeing the inactivity he went down to the cafeteria to find us some coffee.

Tanya came back in a while later. "Bella it's nearly 8:30 p.m. Why don't you come back tomorrow morning? Maybe he will feel up to it then to see you."

I nodded sadly, disappointed that I didn't get the chance to see him awake. I let go of his hand and turned to pick up my coat. Jake left the room to go pull the truck around. When I started to make my way out of the room I began to hear a strangled moan from the bed. Edward began to thrash about and grumble and moan as if he were in pain.

His heart rate spiked in his panicked state but he didn't wake up.

I rushed to the side of his bed and ran my fingers through his hair cooing to him to wake up and that everything was okay. It must have been a nightmare. I kept caressing his cheek urging him to wake up. I wanted to save him from his nightmares but most of all I wanted to see those emerald green eyes again. I needed to see them again.

After a few minutes he started to calm down and began blinking open his eyes. My own heart began thumping in my chest. He was waking up. After all this time I was going to see him open his eyes.

Tears were streaming down my face by the time he had managed to open his lids halfway. He stared at me with droopy eyes but I didn't care. I could see those gorgeous greens once again. Nothing compared to the color of his eyes. You would never find a match for it anywhere in the world. Well you might find one.

He gave me a weak smile and rasped out a 'hi' which was barely audible.

I was so happy I couldn't help but smile and cry happy tears. I replied with a simple 'hi' as we got lost in the moment just staring at each other.

But all too quickly his lids fluttered shut and I planted a kiss on his forehead as he slipped back into unconsciousness.

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	3. Chapter 3: Five Years in Five Minutes

**So not too much happened in Chapter 2 but things will progress quicker from here.**

**I actually had this chapter from my beta a few days ago but due to the NM madness....I didn't get around to finalizing the edits and posting it.... sorry.**

**Love to my beta Krystle who is too smart for her own good! Can't believe you figured out my plot twists already! :O**

**SM owns all things Twilight. I own an empty slot on my DVD rack designated for the NM DVD...**

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**3. Five Years in Five Minutes**

**EPOV**

After a long, but thankfully dreamless, venture into the darkness again I felt more revitalized when I tried to open my eyes once again. I didn't struggle as much this time. And I think it was because of Bella. Seeing her again strengthened me.

But when I opened my eyes, I wasn't staring into chocolate brown eyes; they were peacock green instead. I frowned a bit and felt my eyebrows knit together.

"Good morning sweetheart," Esme whispered to me, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Mom," my voice was a little louder then when I had talked to Bella but it was still very raspy.

"Shh…don't talk. I'll get you some water first."

She returned a second later with a plastic cup in her hand as she positioned the straw at my lips.

I sipped it and the water was cold as ice as it made its way through my mouth and down my throat. I struggled to swallow it but eventually I was gulping down the water.

"Easy there. Your throat needs to get used to the movement again," and she took the cup and set it on the table.

"Your father will be back any second."

"I'm here Esme. Looks like our boy has woken up again." Carlisle came in with his white lab coat on.

"Edward, how are you feeling?" He questioned me.

Okay." I managed to voice out. I was feeling calm despite being confused about everything still. Seeing Bella alive and well last night calmed me down immensely. I was worried she hadn't made it out of the accident alive.

My eyes began to dart around the room as I searched for Bella.

"Don't worry son. She'll be back. Visiting hours haven't officially started. I snuck your mother in," he grinned at me.

"Edward, do you know where you are or what day it is?" He was back to the doctor questions.

"Hospital," I stated. But I didn't know what day it was. I assumed it was a few days after the accident.

"What happened?" I whispered out.

"Edward, there was an accident," I nodded already knowing that part. "There was a truck driver who fell asleep at the wheel and swerved into your lane. You and Bella were just driving back from your honeymoon. Unfortunately the truck rolled and the driver didn't make it but Bella is perfectly fine."

I saw Carlisle hesitate before he continued. He came to sit at the end of my bed and looked me dead in the eyes with the most serious expression I had ever seen him wear.

"Son, by the time the medics pulled you out of the wreckage, you were unconscious. You sustained a serious blow to your head upon impact since your airbag did not deploy correctly. The rest of your body has healed over time and everything else seems to be functioning fine." He took a deep breath and looked at my mother before turning back to me and continuing.

"Edward, you've been in a coma for five years." He spoke the last words slowly and gently.

Five years?

That couldn't be possible. The accident seemed like days ago….not years! I couldn't comprehend 5 years passing as I just laid here motionless. Why didn't I wake up? Oh my god! What about Bella? I'd left her alone all this time!

I could feel the panic begin to rise up again and Carlisle could obviously see it too as he immediately began to try and calm me with his words.

But the words were lost on me. I could only see his mouth moving as I was drowning under the panic of knowing I had just missed five years of my life. I had most likely just taken five years of Bella's life and of all those that were close to me. Did I even have anyone close to me anymore?

I felt the horrible sting in my arm again as the cold liquid once rushed through my veins wiping my mind clear.

By the time I awoke again, my room was crowded. I didn't think I had been out as long this time. It was possibly mid morning now rather than early morning? But I could have slept for days more with my track record. I didn't know.

But I saw my mom and she was in the same clothes so I concluded that it must have been the same day.

"You feeling okay sweetie? You can't panic, alright? If you do, they'll put you under again."

I nodded at her. I didn't want to panic and be knocked out again. I wanted answers. I wanted to see everyone again. I wanted to catch up on my life.

Standing nervously around the room were more familiar faces - Emmett, Rose, Jazz and Alice. No Bella?

I tried to sit up and Emmett came to my aid, quickly lifting me up as Alice stuffed a pillow behind my back.

"Thanks." I needed more water to loosen up my throat.

Just as I turned to look for it my mom was back at my mouth ushering a straw into my lips.

"So, I guess Alice has five years worth of crap to talk to me about?" I tried to joke with them to break the tense atmosphere.

Emmett cheered. "Well, I see five years of sleep hasn't changed Eddie Boy here at all."

Everyone laughed as a boy stepped tentatively into the room holding a tray of coffees.

"Hi Uncle Edward," he said shyly.

I stared at him for a moment before I spoke.

"Tyler? Wow, last time I remember seeing you, you still ran around in diapers and you were putting crayons up your nose."

"Yeah our boys are all grown up now. He'll be eight soon. You've missed a lot Edward." Emmett's tone was laced with sadness and pity.

"How about you Ali? Pop any kids out while I was in dreamland?" I asked.

"No, no. But I've got my own business now. I'm an events planner. Although right now I'm too busy planning our wedding to really be planning anyone else's events," she chirped at me.

She still hadn't gotten married? Jazz proposed to her a month before Bella and I got married.

"You're not married yet?" I was confused. Alice had dreamt of her wedding day since she was a child and yet she decided to take a long engagement instead?

"Well, we didn't know what was happening with you and so we didn't want to plan anything just in case, you know. But it had been five years of nothing and so we were just going to do it. I'm so sorry Edward." She came up and hugged me as she wept.

"Don't be sorry. I'm surprised you didn't do it sooner," I told her earnestly. Not only had I put a stop to my own life, possibly Bella's, but now to Alice and Jazz's as well. I felt like such a burden.

We chatted for a while longer catching up on everything but everyone could tell that I wasn't all that interested. I kept looking to the door waiting for Bella to come through. It was strange that she wasn't already here. They could tell I was confused at her lack of presence but no one wanted to explain it. They just kept saying that she would be here soon.

About two hours later I finally saw a head of chestnut brown hair come rushing past the window and into my room.

"I'm so, so sorry I'm late. Charlie got stuck at work and couldn't get home in time, he didn't have his house keys either and I knew you were all here so I had to wait for him but we managed to get here." Bella explained breathlessly to my family.

Everyone nodded and told her not to worry. They were chatting as if I wasn't in the room. I was a little confused why she had to wait for Charlie to get home though before coming here. And who was 'we'?

My questioned was answered when Jake followed Bella in a few moments later.

"Hey man. Good to see that you're up." Jake said as he walked up to me to give me a half hug.

Bella stood back and just watched us. She looked at me as if I wasn't real and she stood back seemingly afraid to come closer in case it was all a dream.

A red headed nurse came in to break the silence.

"Sorry guys, there's too many of you in here at the moment so I'm afraid some are going to have to go down to the waiting area."

Everyone gave their apology to the nurse and began to leave.

"Some of you can stay you know." Bella proclaimed. But they all left the room subtly giving Bella and I some alone time.

**BPOV**

I couldn't believe that I was so late getting to the hospital. I could barely sleep at all night – I was so anxious to come and see him again this morning.

But of course things never go to plan. The morning was chaotic. Charlie was late coming home off his night shift and my truck almost gave out halfway to Port Angeles.

But now that I was here I didn't know how to proceed.

I stood in the doorway staring at Edward once everyone had left the room.

He had been in a coma for five years. What do you say to a person after all that time? Are you okay?

"Are you okay?" Edward asked me, mimicking what I had just thought.

"I think so," I answered honestly.

He patted the free space on his bed inviting me to sit next to him.

I felt awkward sitting there. It was as if I didn't know him anymore. When in reality he probably didn't know me.

"Talk to me Bella," he pleaded.

"I don't know what to say." I honestly didn't.

"Tell me everything. Tell me about my brother and sister and their lives with Rose, Tyler and Jazz. Tell me about the internship at the editing house in Seattle. Tell me about the world and everything I have missed."

That was a lot to tell him about. So I decided to go for the safer topics.

"Well Tyler is really good at baseball. I think Em is training him to be the next big star. Rose is actually working down at Jake's garage. She brings in more of the male customers for Jake," I laughed, because you have no idea how many men drive down from Port Angeles just for Rose to have a look under their hoods.

"Alice's business is doing quite well. Most of her events are out here or in Seattle so she travels a fair amount. We now have a black president. Both Letterman and Tiger Woods were caught cheating but only Tiger is permanently in the dog house. Britney got married. Britney got divorced. But other than that, Emmett still eats with his fingers; Jazz has permanently stolen your guitar and your Volvo has probably been melted down to make cans now. Sorry." I ended hoping it came across light and sounded like a bit of a joke.

"My Volvo!" Edward choked out to me.

I laughed at him, "I tell you we have a black president for the first time ever in history and all you care about is your Volvo?"

He nudged me in the side for teasing him.

"That rundown didn't include anything about you." He pushed me for more information.

"Edward, I've been okay. I've had your whole family, Charlie, Jake. Everyone has been there for me as much as they have been here for you."

We settled into an awkward silence. I could see it in the lines of his face that he was debating the next question to ask me.

"How often did you come?" He asked me quietly.

I didn't want to lie to him but I didn't want to make him feel like I loved him less as the time went by.

"For the first two years, every day. But then I got a job and couldn't make it every day so it became every second day and lately I'm lucky if I can get here more than twice a week. I'm so sorry, Edward." I was so disappointed in myself. In our vows we said 'in sickness and in health' and yet here I was, forgetting about him when he was sick.

Edward tilted my face up with his finger.

"You came here every single day for two years? You still come twice a week every week?" He asked me in an amazed voice.

I nodded.

"You have never taken a vacation? Never skipped a week or two or even a month?"

I shook my head at him. I could never do that. I may have had to wake up and get on with life but it didn't mean I couldn't make time in that life for Edward.

He shocked me by pulling me into a hug.

"I'm the one that should be sorry. I made you stop your life for me. You didn't even take that internship did you?"

Edward always knew me so well. I was feeling guilty for getting on with my life and he thought I wasn't?

"I don't understand." I told him.

"Bella, you may have continued to live life but you never stopped being devoted to me. You couldn't even take a vacation because it meant you would miss out on your weekly visit to the vegetable in Port Angeles." He tried to joke with me but I was thoroughly depressed by it.

I never noticed but I hadn't really moved on with life. Maybe that was why Jake was so eager to get me out of Forks.

And with that thought, Jake walked into the room.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt. Bells, Charlie had to go back to the station for a case, so we're going to have to swing by there first before going home."

I nodded in understanding and got up to leave giving Edward a kiss on the cheek as I stood up.

I could tell he didn't understand our exchange and had so many more questions for me.

"I'll come back tomorrow, okay?" I promised him.

He nodded in understanding. His family returned to the room as Jake and I left.

Jake wrapped his arm around my waist as we walked down the hall and I put mine around his.

"It'll be okay," he whispered to me planting a kiss on my forehead as silent tears began to streak down.

How would I explain my life to Edward?

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	4. Chapter 4: While You Were Sleeping

**Hi readers! Im so so sorry I've been slack with this fic....**

**The truth is I've had it back from my beta for wuite a few days now.... But if you read Within Arms Reach, you will notice I have been updating that one semi-regularly.**

**I hope you don't feel this fic is too rushed but it is a side piece to WAR and I never intended for it to be an 80 chapter angst fest...**

**Hope you still enjoy it!**

**SM owns all things Twilight. I own a beta who needs to learn how to nag me more often LOL**

**Love you Krystle!**

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**Ch 4. While You Were Sleeping**

**EPOV**

Over the next week Bella came to visit me almost everyday. Some days she wouldn't make it in until late in the day and some days she would be there soon after visiting hours opened. But if she wasn't there my mother was there.

Plus there was always family visiting me. Em, Rose and Tyler came to see me again. Em would spend a majority of the time talking about all the football I had missed or some other sports related topic.

Alice and Jazz came to visit too. Alice annoyed me with her constant chatter of wedding talk. I didn't like listening to it when it was about my own wedding let alone someone else's. I hit Jazz up about my guitar. He didn't seem too pleased that Bella had ratted him out but the next time he came he brought it with him. I was very thankful for that because the hospital was boring as hell and my mother's company didn't help that at all.

I assumed Bella had to work and couldn't come to see me all day every day but it didn't mean I still didn't hope for it.

She was there for the important moments though. Like my first day of physiotherapy. Being that I hadn't walked in five years the muscles in my legs had no idea what they were doing. I grew frustrated easily when I couldn't support my own weight or lift my feet to move them. But Bella was my number one cheerleader everyday when it came to that time of day.

When she came to spend time with me my mother would always leave for the day or head out for a coffee always giving us some alone time. She seemed a bit distant with me sometimes and treated me very delicately. We hadn't even kissed on the lips once yet. It was as if she was afraid to feel me again in fear that I would disappear once more.

But when we chatted, Bella always spoke of everyone around her. She would whine about Alice and how she was fast turning into bridezilla, or talk about Emmett becoming the Coach from hell for Tyler, or about Rose working with Jake at the garage. She never spoke of herself and what she was doing or had been doing for the past five years.

I didn't pry because I had a terrible feeling that she hadn't done very much these past five years besides work at the garage and wait for me to wake up. The guilt I felt was so immense. Sometimes, late at night, when everyone had finished up visiting and the other patients were sound asleep, I would wonder what could have been.

If that accident had never happened, we would be living in our apartment in Seattle, Bella could be some hot shot editor and I could have joined some major label company seeking out new talent. We could have begun to think about starting a family of our own. Alice and Jazz would have gotten married earlier and Em and I would have thrown him the most outrageous bucks night. It was things like this that made me wonder if Bella's life could have been easier if I had just died that night. There would be nothing holding her back from her internship, nothing to stop Alice and Jazz from getting married and everyone would not have been burdened by my comatose self.

I was pleased to see that Bella hadn't grown apart from my family over the years. She still fit in perfectly and Esme still treated her like her daughter. Well, I suppose she still was if we were still married. But I had seen how she also had Jake in her life. He was her childhood friend and we actually got along quite well together. He was a genuinely nice guy. It was Jake that had driven her over the first day I woke up seeing as she wasn't in the right frame of mind. I could also tell how protective he was of her especially after the last time they were here together.

I was then panicked with another thought. What if Bella had met someone else during that time?

**BPOV**

I was standing over the stove, spatula suspended in mid air, as I was lost in thought staring out the kitchen window.

I was shocked out of my musings when a set of strong arms wrapped around my waist tightly.

"Morning sweetie," Jake spoke softly as he planted a kiss on my cheek.

"Morning, you have good timing. I've just about finished breakfast." I plated up the eggs and set them on the table.

"Morning kids," Charlie said cheerfully as he took his seat at the table, "you headed to work today Bells?"

"No well I was going to go see Edward actually. He has an earlier session with the physio today." I glanced at Jake silently asking if it was ok to go and skip another day of work.

"Bells take all the time off that you need. Leah is more than happy to take your shifts" Jake replied.

"Thanks. It's just taking a toll on him, not being able to get up and maneuver around on his own. Plus he's not liking being cooped up in the hospital all day."

We finished up breakfast as Charlie went to take a seat on the lounge in front of the TV. I was finishing up on the morning dishes when Jake returned, dressed for work now.

I turned to put a glass back in the cupboard but turned right into Jake. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer, bobbing down a little more so that he was face to face with me.

He looked into my eyes with concern and sadness.

"You have to tell him Bells. He'll find out eventually and imagine how he will feel finding out from someone else."

I knew I should tell Edward about Jake but I didn't know how? What would I say?

"_Hi Edward, you were asleep for five years so I shacked up with my best friend even though we're still technically married."_

I sighed heavily, "I know and I will. I'm just waiting for the right time."

"There never will be a right time, Bells. Just be gentle. He will understand. Trust me."

He kissed me tenderly on the lips.

"I just… I don't want to overwhelm him at the moment." I was sure Jake could hear me lying to myself as much as I could at that time.

Truthfully, I was afraid Edward would take it too well. I didn't want to upset him. This was a time to be happy. He had done the miraculous thing of waking up from a coma and I had the power to bring his life crashing down all over again.

Jake kissed me once more on the lips before pulling away and heading off to work. I knew he was upset.

It wasn't like I was denying what we had by not telling Edward. I loved Jacob dearly and wasn't going to throw away everything we had just because Edward woke up. But I also didn't know how to continue with everything we had now that Edward was back in the picture.

I got caught up at home once again and only made it to the hospital five minutes before Edward's session. He was still struggling to support all his weight with his legs and he was growing agitated a lot quicker these past few days being that he thought he wasn't progressing fast enough. But he was making huge strides. For someone who hadn't walked in five years he was doing very well.

After an exhausting 45 minutes of exercising his legs and trying to stand, Edward collapsed back onto his bed frustrated and worn out.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You're doing great," I said supportively as I stroked away the sweaty strands of hair that had fallen into his face.

"Thanks," he replied as he reached up to grasp my hand with his and pull it to his mouth for a kiss.

"Where are your rings?" Edward asked as he twisted my hand up to see the bareness of my fingers.

I had forgotten that I had taken them off. I hadn't worn them for a long time and took them off when people began to assume that Jake and I were married. I didn't mind people knowing that I was with Jake but I didn't want to let them think we were married. There was a part of me that was very protective of my marriage to Edward.

With Jakes word from this morning and now Edwards question about my lack of rings, I could see that the moment to tell him the truth had come.

I wasn't filled with nerves but rather with guilt as I tried to fumble together the right words to use to explain it all to him.

"Edward," I began very slowly, "after the accident I moved back to Forks to live with Charlie. I didn't take the internship in Seattle and ended up jobless. Remember how Jake managed to buy that old garage on the outskirts of town just before we got married?" he nodded, "well he offered me a job there and I've been there ever since."

"You see, after about a week, it became apparent that you may not wake up at all. They disconnected all the breathing machines hoping you would come to. Well you began to breathe on your own and everything was healing and functioning normally. So we waited, and waited. Carlisle had all the best doctors come out to assess your case. Edward, every single one of them, and there must have been seven over the first year, all couldn't say whether you would ever come out of the coma. There appeared to be nothing wrong. You just didn't wake up." My voice was straining as Edward sat silently listening to me explain things.

"Alice had Jazz, Em had Rose and Tyler and it was Jake that was there for me. He gave me a job and really just…accommodated me in every way he could. His father passed away during the time you were asleep and he was all alone. He moved in with Charlie and I and we…" I paused seeing how Edward was putting two and two together, "we grew close." His shoulders slumped forward as I confirmed his suspicions.

"He's really been there for me Edward. Anytime I need anything or even if Charlie needs something or anyone else, he's always offering himself up first." My eyes were welling up with tears as they began to silently fall down my cheeks.

We sat there staring at one another for a moment. Edward was processing what I had just told him and I was trying to read his face to see how he would react.

The green of his eyes were dimmer showing his sadness, but there was absolutely no hint of anger in them. This just made me feel even worse. He was accepting what I was telling him with no arguments.

A silence fell between us as Edward seemed to struggle to pick a question to begin asking.

"How long?" he finally asked in barely a whisper.

I hesitated on telling him.

"Two years," I whispered back.

Edward looked a bit taken aback by the length of time but took a deep breath before asking me the next question.

"Do you love him?" he asked simply.

This was wrong. This must have been breaking him as he sat, in a hospital bed, and asked the woman he loved if she had fallen in love with another man.

I owed him the truth. I couldn't lie.

My voice broke as I uttered out the single syllable, "Yes."

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**Show me some love and that I really should update this one more often!**


	5. Chapter 5: A Gesture of Kindness

**Hello again!**

**I know, I know... what the hell happened to this fic? **

**Well if you read my other fic you will know I was away in Europe, then had RL stuff to catch up on...**

**This chapter is SUPER short but its cos the next one HAD to stand alone! Its coming REAL soon too! Like tomorrow soon... LOL**

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**I dedicate this chapter to Rebekah! Your kind PMs let me know you were still reading and waiting! Thanks so much for the support!**

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**Love to my beta Krystle...I swear she is the most under-worked beta (thanks to me!) LOL**

**SM owns all things Twilight. I own a mind full of ISaIH chapters...I just haven't put pen to paper... =(**

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**Chapter 5**

** A Gesture of Kindness**

**EPOV**

"_Yes."_

Yes? She was in love with another man. My wife was in love with another man.

Those were words I never thought I would ever have to hear myself say.

Bella was silently crying at the foot of my bed and refused to make eye contact with me.

I didn't know if I wanted to see her face at this stage.

It killed me to know that there had been another man in her life, well _still_ was in her life. It was another man that kept her warm at night, another man that would fix up her beat up truck or do all the heavy lifting. It was ANOTHER man!

The selfish part of me wanted to hunt Jake down and shred him to pieces with my bare hands. But the rational side of me realized that I should have been happy that she moved on with that part of her life.

"Bella,I…" I began but the nurse interrupted us with a knock at the door.

"Hi there, your physio is here. Were you staying for the session?" We both looked to Bella for an answer.

"Um no, I have some things to do…I'll see you tomorrow," she answered shakily.

Without making any eye contact, Bella rushed out the door barely letting me get in a 'bye.'

My mom, Alice and Jazz came to visit after my session and it was evident that I wasn't involved in the conversation.

"Edward?"

"What?" I asked in a far away voice.

Three concerned faces were staring me down.

My mom immediately began to fuss, pressing her hand onto my forehead checking if I had a temperature.

"Honey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I grumbled.

"No man, you're not," Jazz pointed out.

I couldn't keep it to myself any longer.

"Bella told me about her and Jake," I blurted out.

Alice gasped a little but they all cast glances at one another without saying anything to me.

I was hoping to get a little insight from them.

"Wh-what," Alice cleared her throat. "What did she tell you?"

"What did she tell me? She told me her and Jake have been together for the past two years," my voice was louder and angrier then I intended it to be.

My mom tried to calm me, "Edward, be reasonable. She's gone through a lot and don't you dare make her feel guilty for being with Jake. That boy has done a lot to help her during this time."

"He's a good guy Edward."

Jasper was a very good judge of character. He could somehow tell if a person was loyal, up to no good or a total ass in no time. I always trusted his judgment and he had never let me down before.

"Jake is fantastic with Bella. A while after the accident, we had to get back to life, whether we wanted to or not. Em had his own family to worry about, I started my new business, and we couldn't all be here as much as we wanted to."

Alice explained all the characteristics that made me admire Jake in the first place.

"He looked after her Edward when she didn't have the will to do it on her own. He drove her back and forth, helped out with Charlie, he even learnt to cook for her."

Jake had always been a good guy. A guy I liked. It seemed irrational to fault him now simply because he was with Bella.

**BPOV**

I had been sitting parked in the driveway for a good hour when there was a light tap on my window.

I looked up through my blurry vision to see Jake standing outside the car. More tears trailed down my face as he opened up the door and pulled me into an embrace.

"Shh…what happened? Did he do something to you?" Jake asked concerned as he stroked my hair trying to calm me.

"N-n-no," I blubbered out between my sobs. "I t-t-told him that I love you."

I broke down completely as I recalled how the light drained from his eyes and his shoulders slumped.

I had broken the man more than any head-on collision could possibly do.

"What did he say when you told him?"

"Nothing, so I left." I swiped at my tears willing them to stop. "But I just know that he hates me! Maybe he will never want to see me again? Maybe he will wish that he had died in that crash after all?"

"Bella, honey, how do you know any of this when you didn't even give him a chance to respond? Go back tomorrow…"

"He won't want me there," I interrupted.

"You don't know that either. It's a lot for him to process. Just go see him again tomorrow and just talk to him. Let him talk to you."

I nodded in agreement and let him guide me out of the car.

He kissed me on my tear stained cheek.

"No more tears for tonight, okay?" He smiled down gently at me and wrapped his broad arms around my waist.

I smiled in return and nodded before I reached up and placed a kiss on his lips, "Thank you…for everything."

I was truly, so very grateful for everything.

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	6. Chapter 6: Spaghetti for Brownie Points

**So according to my watch its still the day after my last update...so i ain;t late...yet! LOL**

**Thanks to my beta Krystle for her speedy skills and her good suggestions!**

**Big thanks to Kiwi_Sparkle for pre-reading at the last minute to make sure the timeline flowed.**

**This has to be my fave chapter so far! ;)**

**SM owns all things Twilight. I own awesome friends in twitter who will beta/pre-read at the drop of a hat...well three hats cos we had file transfer problems LOL.**

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**Chapter 6**

**Spaghetti for Brownie Points**

**EPOV**

I wasn't sure if she would come back but she did the next day.

I was so relieved.

She came in after lunch, peeking her head around the corner first to check if I was awake.

I think she looked both relieved and petrified when she saw I was sitting upright.

"Hi." Her voice was timid.

"Hi." I smiled warmly to her, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable.

"I.." We both began.

I chuckled at how strange and awkward we were being.

"You first," I smiled.

"No, I insist. You first," she laughed out.

I wasn't sure where to begin but I figured I should reassure her first.

"I don't hate you," I saw Bella take a shaky breath; "Jake is a great guy. I thought that before the accident and I think that now. My family has told me that nothing has changed. Well except maybe that he has become even more of an admirable person."

"You really think that?" her tone was disbelieving and her eyebrows were almost disappearing into her hair.

"I truly do. If I couldn't be here to look after you, I hoped that someone else would do that job for me. It seems Jake was the one to step up to the plate and I'm very pleased he did."

Bella looked at me in a bewildered manner.

"So you're really okay with this? That I'm with Jake?" I nodded, despite cringing internally when she mentioned her relationship with Jake.

"Thank you Edward. It means a lot that you don't hate me for it."

Not wanting to dwell on the fact that we had shifted to more of a 'friend' status, I diverted the conversation.

I noticed the box in her hand.

"What's that?"

"I figured you might be missing some things."

She gave me a sly grin and set the box on my lap. I opened the lid and my eyes grew wide at the sight.

"No way!"

She laughed at me. "Yes way, I thought something home cooked would cheer you up?"

"Or ease the pain of the dagger," it was obviously too early to be joking around.

Her smile fell.

Crap.

"Thanks for the spaghetti. Yours was always the best."

I'd already had some lunch, but hospital food was barely edible and I didn't eat much. This was a good thing because it allowed for plenty of room for me to eat Bella's spaghetti.

There was a particular spice that she added to the sauce that made all the difference.

We sat silently together as I ate and she watched me.

"So what happened to the apartment in Seattle?"

We had planned to move there after the wedding.

"It's still there. Alice and Jazz have been very good house-sitters for the past few years."

"Well isn't it nice that they get to live in it for free." It was lucky that we had paid it all off because Bella would not have been able to make the payments on her own.

"Actually they pay us a bit for it, not much but I use it as leverage when I need a favor or two."

"That's my girl," I chuckled at her.

There was a knock on the door as Esme shuffled in.

"Hi kids. Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"No Esme, that's okay, come in," Bella assured her.

The two embraced as my mom came over to run her fingers through my hair like when I was a kid.

"Why do you have red spots all over you?" she questioned while swiping at some sauce that was stuck to my chin.

"Well Bella actually cares enough to bring me something other than mass produced, minus five star, hospital food."

"You know I'm not the best in the kitchen, but I can still make you things if you would like. All you have to do is ask."

"No mom, I'm just kidding, its fine."

"Oh Bella dear, your father called me before I left the house. You forgot your cell at home and he's got an earlier start tonight."

A look of panic crossed Bella's face as she furiously began to rifle through her enormous bag, as if she was not convinced she had actually left it.

"Edward, I'm so sorry but if he has an early start I'm going to have to head back now."

"Ok?" I was disappointed to see her go but I knew there was no convincing her to stay as she was already set and almost out the door.

"I'll come back tomorrow with some lunch, okay?"

I smiled and waved her goodbye.

I had never looked forward to Wednesdays so much before.

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I frowned down at my tray of food which consisted of a soggy sandwich, juice box and fruit cup. I couldn't wait to get out of hospital to have some real food.

But like the angel that she was, Bella came in with her arms laden with boxes.

"Hi," she smiled widely at me.

"Thank God you're here. I was afraid I would have to poison myself with this 'food'," I gestured to my untouched tray.

Bella moved the hospital tray over to my bedside table and began to unpack and open her boxes.

The overwhelmingly delicious smell of chicken stroganoff wafted throughout the room. She had even packed me a blueberry muffin for dessert. It definitely looked homemade!

She sat quietly and watched with delight as I ate like I hadn't eaten before. Well, in all fairness it had been a few years since I enjoyed her stroganoff!

We chatted lightly about anything and everything but once again not too much about herself.

"I'm surprised dad's cut down his hours here."

"After your accident, Esme helped him realize that life was short and that she wanted to spend more time with him at home. So he cut back a bit but he likes working right now because he gets to see you all the time."

"I know, I swear he doesn't have any other patients with the amount of times he comes in to chat."

She chuckled lightly, knowing how I didn't like people to fuss over me. I missed her laugh.

There was a light tap on the door and Charlie came backing in.

With a very small someone cradled against his chest.

"Edward," he gave me a polite nod.

Bella quickly scooted towards the door and it seemed like she was trying to prevent him from coming in further. Their discussion was hushed but Charlie's gruff voice meant I didn't need to strain too much to hear.

"Sorry Bells, Jake is out on a job and I got a last minute call from PAPD to come up and help with a case and there was no one else and I knew you would be here."

"That's okay dad," she whispered to him as Charlie shuffled the slumbering toddler into Bella's arms.

She gave Charlie a peck on the cheek and some parting words, "Stay safe."

"Always am, Bells."

He disappeared through the door but Bella remained with her back to me.

I was confused as to who the little girl belonged to. Maybe she was babysitting or maybe Charlie and Sue… no, that was too strange.

Bella finally turned and walked back towards me where I could see a profile of who was in her arms.

She had wavy brown hair and skin as fair as Bella's.

She was propped up against Bella's shoulder but began to squirm and nuzzled her face into Bella's neck.

"Shh…Shhh…" Bella lulled her, swaying gently and rubbing her back up and down.

She was so small. Possibly only two or three maybe?

Bella still hadn't made eye contact with me as she tried to settle the child she held so naturally in her arms.

The little girl was becoming restless and began to fidget some more.

But with a tiny murmur and the look that Bella gave me after, I suddenly knew how Jacob had fit into the picture.

Two delicate little arms reached up to wrap around Bella's neck as she murmured out, "Momma."

**BPOV**

It was early on a Tuesday morning and I was already up, worried about going to see Edward again. I wasn't able to sleep and decided to get up and make some of Edwards's favorite food to bring with me as a buffer.

I was mixing a pot of bolognaise sauce when a set of strong arms wrapped around my waist.

"Morning gorgeous," Jake breathed into my ear as he rested his head on my shoulder peering into the pot.

"That's a little much just for breakfast isn't it?" he asked.

"I figured I would try and earn some brownie points with Edward today and make him some spag bol."

"That's nice of you." His tone wasn't sarcastic and he seemed honestly not offended by my actions.

He began to make a trail of kisses up and down my shoulder and neck as the stirring of my sauce faltered.

"Jake…" I warned him but my voice was deceitful and it was only a halfhearted warning.

"Jake, the sauce is going to burn."

He continued to kiss me along the line of my jaw as his hands nimbly switched off the stove before pulling me back against him.

I tilted my head back in search of his lips twisting in his arms when my lips met his.

It was a slow kiss, one that was now familiar where our lips slid across one another with no effort.

"How long do we have?" I asked in a whisper against his lips.

"We're good for another half hour."

I didn't need much more encouragement than that.

My fingers threaded into his short coarse hair as he lifted me with ease so that my legs were on either side of his before he sat me down on the kitchen table.

He kissed down the column of my neck, sliding the thin strap of my top down over my shoulder as he kissed over the swells of my breasts. I let out a shuddering moan, pulling him back up to my lips while running my fingers up and down his muscular sides.

My legs were wrapped tightly around his waist and I could feel him pushing up against my arousal.

He rocked gently against me as my breath hitched and I broke our kiss.

I reached down between us to fumble with his belt, giggling as I felt the hard wood of the kitchen table press against my back.

"What?" Jake asked with a smile.

"Charlie eats at this table," I grimaced slightly.

"It's not like we haven't done it here before," he quirked an eyebrow at me before taking over from my hands, undoing his own pants.

No sooner had they dropped to the floor that we heard the crunch of gravel in driveway.

Damn. Charlie was home early.

I guess that's what happened when you lived with your dad.

We both sighed and pushed off from one another, Jake pulling his pants back up and me straightening out my singlet.

Jake disappeared upstairs, no doubt to take care of his problem, as Charlie walked into the kitchen.

"Morning Bells, bit early for bolognaise isn't it?"

"Morning dad, it's for Edward, but it's also for dinner tonight okay?"

"Sure thing."

I went to see Edward later, armed with my spag bol, and was very pleased by how the afternoon went. So much so that when Jake greeted me at the door that night he made a comment.

"I'm guessing everything went well with Edward?" he smiled at me giving me a kiss on the lips.

"Very well," I beamed, "How are things at home?"

"I just got in myself but all seems quiet."

I heard the thump of Charlie's footsteps followed by the pitter patter of smaller ones as Charlie chased the little munchkin down the hall.

"Momma, momma, you're home" she squealed at me.

I scooped her up into my arms. "Hi sweetie."

"Gwanpa said if I ate all my noodles we could eat chippies tomowow"

"Did he now?" I could tell she had indeed had her noodles as there were specks of red sauce on her chin, much like Edward's.

"Well young lady it's past your bedtime already so we'll see about those chippies tomorrow, okay?" Charlie tried to chastise her.

She nodded in agreement.

"Want me to come tuck you in?" I asked her.

"NO! I want to read piggies"

"Piggies? Well I'm not very good at being the big bad wolf so I think you need to go ask someone else for that."

I gave a sly smile to Jake as he came over to lift her out of my arms.

"Yay! Piggies."

"I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your whole house down," Jake growled at her blowing a raspberry into her stomach.

She giggled wildly as the two of them made their way up to her room for a story.

I had a quick bite to eat and then a shower before heading into bed to catch up on lost sleep.

I wasn't sure what time it was when Jake came into bed behind me, curving his body around mine, and draping his arm over my stomach.

"She okay?" I asked sleepily.

"Yeah, she's sleeping like an angel."

"Thanks"

"Anytime, momma." He gave me a sweet kiss and snuggled deeper into my hair as we drifted off to sleep.

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**So did the timeline confuse anyone?**

**Lets do this...all the spaghetti things happened Tuesday...Bub appeared Wednesday... Yes? No?**

**I'm DYING to know your thoughts! so REVIEW! (but I may not reply with answers...can't spoil the next chapter)**


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